What is geocaching? Geocaching is a modern day, worldwide treasure hunt where participants can both hide and seek containers called geocaches. To find a geocache, visit a site like Geocaching.com to search for caches hidden in your area.

Step 1: Sign Up! Sign up for the WPSU Learning Families email to receive weekly adventure sites across Centre, Blair, Huntington counties. Sign up at wpsu.org/subscribe

Step 2: Complete our Survey! These kits were generously supported by a grant from the PA Department of Education and your feedback will help us encourage future funding for initiatives like this. https://wpsumm.wufoo.com/forms/q15jv7qw1progr8/

Step 3: Get Trekking! Learn about plants, animals, and bugs as you complete the activity journal. Bring the journal and compass with you to explore along the way as you find the cache! Find more information at learn.wpsu.org/treasuretrek

Let’s go on a mission — a WPSU Treasure Trek mission to explore nature and find caches!

Use this journal to record your cache and all your exciting findings and document nature around you.

What do I need to get started?All you need is a smartphone with the free app from geocaching.com or a GPS device, a pen and the WPSU Treasure Trek Journal. Additionally, you may choose to bring along a flashlight or headlamp, camera, water and snacks, sunscreen and bug spray.

Why geocaching? Geocaching as a family encourages children to explore their surroundings, use observational skills, and have an adventure. Critical and creative thinking skills are necessary when seeking a geocache.

It’s never too early to start talking with your children about why it is a good idea to take care of nature. For the youngest children, learning about habitats is grounded in what children can experience with their senses. On your nature walks model the principle of “pack it in, pack it out.” What else can they do when hiking to help take care of the natural environment?

Make Leaf and Bark Rubbings

• Trees

• Plain white paper

• Crayons with label removed

• Masking tape (optional)

• Cardboard or clipboard

• Paper bag for collecting leaves

1. Find some trees: Take some blank paper, masking tape (optional), and crayons outside. Look for several trees with different types of bark and leaves.

2. Feel the bark: Close your eyes and feel the bark of the trees. How does it feel? Which one is the smoothest? The roughest?

3. Make a bark rubbing: Use tape to hold a piece of paper on the trunk or hold the paper tightly. Lightly rub a crayon horizontally over the surface of the paper on the bark, just hard enough so that the bark’s texture shows on the paper. Do this to other trees and compare the rubbings.

4. Make a leaf rubbing: Collect some leaves from different trees. Close your eyes and feel the leaves. How do they feel? Make leaf rubbings by putting the leaf on a piece of cardboard or a clipboard, covering it with the paper, and rubbing the crayon over it.

5. Make a matching game: Once you’ve made several leaf and bark rubbings, play a matching game with them. Mix them up and see if you can figure out which tree each leaf and bark rubbing came from.

What to Do: What You Need:

PBS KIDS and the PBS KIDS Logo are registered trademarks of Public Broadcasting Service. Used with permission. PBS KIDS and the PBS KIDS Logo are registered trademarks of Public Broadcasting Service. Used with permission. Major funding for the series is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and the Van Eekeren Family, founders of Land O’Frost. Additional funding: The Hamill Family Foundation, The Segal Family Foundation, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, Polk Bros. Foundation, Sage Foundation, Philip F. Schoch Charitable Trust.

NATURE CAT and associated characters, trademarks and design elements are owned by Spiffy Entertainment, LLC © 2020 Spiffy Entertainment, LLC, All rights reserved.

Find more games and activities at pbskids.org/naturecat

Eventapalooza is Back!We can’t wait to see all of the PBS KIDS at our first in-person event

since March 2020!

Save the date! Sunday, October 24

at the Keiko Miwa Ross WPSU Production Studio

Innovation Park, State College

Watch our event page in September for registration

and details. wpsu.org/events